Block of Kokkinia

What I can see

Kokkinia is a district that was created mainly by refugees from Asia Minor and offered strong resistance during the German occupation. The Block of Kokkinia today is a place for art and memory: for the 315 people executed in total, and for the 8,000 transferred to a concentration camp in Haidari, of which 1,800 were sent to Germany. Nazi atrocities included the burning of 80 houses in the neighbourhood. In the same place, there are busts of Aris Velouchiotis and Stefanos Sarafis.

 

What I can't see

In March 1944, during a period when Hitler’s defeat had already begun in Europe, German and Greek counterparts clashed with the resistance from Kokkinia and surrounding districts, resulting in the Nazis being defeated. The civilian population had been characterized by the German authorities as “full accomplices” to the German losses and Kokkinia was considered a “centre of aggression”. A few days later, the occupying troops attacked with strong forces, and the resistance was shaken in August; as a result, 3,000 heavily armed Nazi forces gathered all men between 14-60 years old for identity testing on the Osias Xenis Square. Those who did not come were executed in their homes. There were hundreds of men gathered in the square, and their wives, mothers and young children followed behind while crying. The men gathered were forced to kneel with their heads up and under the hot sun without water. The women tried to hydrate them with water from pitchers, but the Greek Nazi militants kicked them and broke the pitchers. Then, the hooded collaborators indicated the first to be executed and then plundered them. The dead from the executions in the square totaled 72, and this number rose significantly in the next few days due to coldblooded executions (for example, during the memorial for the dead) and deaths resulting from torture.

 

Info

• Address: Osia Xeni square, Kyprou and Theiron St.

Bibliography